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NSF Scrub Club helps prevent the spread of germs by making handwashing fun for kids

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – NSF International, an independent organization committed to protecting public health and safety, congratulates the winners of this year’s NSF Scrub Club® “Clean Hands” game (scrubclub.org), which reinforces the importance of proper handwashing to elementary school students nationwide to help prevent the spread of germs.

According to the CDC, more than 164 million school days are lost each year due to illness. That number can be greatly reduced by teaching children how to prevent the spread of germs by properly washing their hands. The NSF Scrub Club® website teaches children how to wash their hands using games, videos and other educational activities that make handwashing fun.

The NSF Scrub Club® website is a free resource that features downloadable activity materials for kids, educational materials for teachers (in English, Spanish and French) and program information for parents. The program features Scrub Club® “Soaper Heroes,” each of whom represent one of the six steps in the handwashing process - "Hot Shot" and "Chill" combine to make warm water essential for proper handwashing; "Squeaks" turns into various forms of soap; "Taki" becomes a clock that counts down the required 20 seconds for proper handwashing; "Scruff" reminds kids to clean around their nails; "Tank" turns into a sink to rinse away the germs; and "P.T." transforms into paper towels.

As part of the NSF Scrub club, NSF International sponsors an annual NSF Scrub Club “Clean Hands” game for schools nationwide. To qualify for the drawing, participating teachers had to submit a photo of their classroom’s clean hands to show the children have learned to correctly wash their hands.

Crista Lombardo’s third grade class,
West Side Primary Center, New Castle, Pa.

Winning classrooms receive a $100 gift card to be used for schools supplies, and all participating classrooms receive a Scrub Club® Clean Hands certificate for playing.

“The children had a great time learning how to correctly wash their hands, and we are pleased to be one of the five winners,” said Rachel Edwards, teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in Rexburg, ID. “We work hard on keeping our hands clean so we don’t spread germs that can cause illness. What I like about NSF International’s Scrub Club is that the site makes handwashing fun!”

For more information about the NSF Scrub Club® or the Clean Hands Game, visit scrubclub.org.

About NSF International: NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization, helps protect consumers by certifying products and writing standards for food, water, dietary supplements and consumer goods to minimize adverse health effects (www.nsf.org/consumer). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting public health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. NSF's Scrub Club®, is a series of web-based, interactive resources designed to teach children proper handwashing techniques and hygiene habits.